Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

He freshened up and dressed quickly. Despite the extraordinary events of the previous day, and the intimate closeness of the night, Lucas carried himself with the same poised air he always did. If anything had changed, it was only the weight of confidence in his steps and the quiet power behind his gaze.

As he descended the stairs, the soft clatter of dishes and the faint aroma of roasted meat greeted him. The lower floor of the house was bathed in warm sunlight filtering through the wooden blinds, giving the modest dining area a gentle glow.

Lady Isabelle and Lady Cecilia were already seated at the table. Both women looked up as he entered. There was a brief pause, almost imperceptible, but it was there. A flicker of nervousness passed between them, not out of shame, but uncertainty. Lady Isabelle gave a small nod of greeting, her hands clasped neatly in her lap. Lady Cecilia smiled gently, though her eyes briefly dropped to her bowl as though unsure how much to meet his gaze.

Lucas, however, approached with that same unreadable calm. He offered a slight bow of gratitude to Cecilia, who had graciously hosted him, before taking the seat they had set for him. There was no smugness in his expression, no teasing or pride. He didn't leer, nor did he treat them with condescension. Instead, he behaved with quiet respect, his demeanor telling them both, without words, that he held no judgment, no regrets, and saw no reason for awkwardness.

They ate in a comfortable quiet for a while. The food was light but nourishing, minced meat and vegetables, warm rice porridge, and finely sliced fruit arranged with surprising care. Occasionally, their eyes would meet over the rim of their teacups, but no one brought up the night before. Not yet.

The silence was not uncomfortable, but rather thoughtful, they knew what they had shared with him. They understood he wasn't someone ordinary. He was walking a path most of them could barely imagine. And they were beginning to wonder if they might get to walk a little further beside him.

Eventually, once Lucas finished his food, he rose from his seat with an appreciative nod to both women who had shared the quiet morning with him. The servants gathered the bowls while both ladies walked with him toward the door, their gaze lingering on him with a mixture of concern and curiosity. There had been a subtle shift in their dynamic since the night before, yet nothing about Lucas suggested uncertainty or awkwardness. He carried the same unshakable calm, the same centered aura that had drawn so many eyes to him since the moment he demonstrated his prowess in Alchemy.

As the three of them stepped out into the warm morning air, the streets of the city already bustling with activity, Lucas adjusted the sash of his robe, his mind wandering toward what lay ahead. He hadn't intended to remain in the city for long. He had already made more of a name for himself than he had planned, but that wasn't something he could control now. The events of the previous day, the successful demonstration, the potion that had restored a crippled cultivator's Dantian, and the stunned reactions of every respected Alchemist present, had sealed his place in their eyes.

It was inevitable that powerful figures would begin to take notice.

They reached the inn a few moments later, and standing patiently at the entrance, as though he had been waiting for some time, was a young servant clad in a formal robe bearing the emblem of the Grand Conclave.

The moment Lucas stepped close, the servant dropped into a deep bow.

"Master Xavier," he said clearly, using the name the world knew him by. "The honored Sage Raph has requested your presence. He awaits you in the Conclave Hall."

Lucas blinked, caught off guard. His expression didn't betray much, but inwardly he was reeling. He exchanged a brief glance with Lady Isabelle, who raised a brow slightly in surprise, and Lady Cecilia, whose eyes widened just a bit. They, too, understood the weight behind the title the servant had just spoken.

Sage Raph.

Lucas didn't know who that was. He hadn't encountered the name in any of the discussions at the Alchemy Guild, nor had anyone mentioned a Sage of that name in his presence. But the title alone was enough to stir a quiet tension in his chest.

He knew what that meant.

A Sage wasn't someone who could be ignored. Whether it was in the field of cultivation or Alchemy, that title was only granted to individuals whose mastery surpassed conventional limits. They were legends in their own right, living embodiments of a path few could even imagine following to its end.

And now, one had summoned him personally.

Lucas stood still for a moment, staring at the servant, the weight of the moment sinking in fully. He didn't know what kind of Sage Raph was, perhaps a master of Alchemy, perhaps a cultivation titan, but he knew this invitation wasn't casual, it couldn't be. Especially not after what had happened the day before.

The potion he had created had done the impossible.

It had undone two decades of spiritual damage in mere moments.

It had shattered the known boundaries of Alchemical understanding.

There was no doubt in Lucas's mind, the Sage had been watching. Or at the very least, he had heard.

A strange mix of shock and anticipation tightened in his chest. He was already drawing the attention of figures he hadn't even dreamed of meeting so soon.

He nodded slowly, acknowledging the servant with a calm voice, "Lead the way."

The servant said nothing more after Lucas gave his nod of assent. He simply turned, Lucas followed behind, with Lady Isabelle and Lady Cecilia staying just long enough to watch him disappear into the winding city path before turning back toward the inn, their expressions unreadable.

The walk wasn't long, the streets around the Conclave Hall were quieter than the bustling market lanes. Guards in distinct robes stood by the arched gates just like they did the day before.

Lucas passed through its threshold, his mind alert, his spirit shielded just enough to remain composed. He was guided through a wide corridor until they stopped in front of a large wooden door etched with ancient glyphs. The servant didn't knock. He simply opened it and stepped aside, gesturing silently for Lucas to enter.

He walked in, and the door closed quietly behind him.

At the end of the hall was a raised platform, and on it stood a figure. Frail, yet tall. Dressed in simple robes of silver. His hair was white, his back slightly hunched with age. Lucas halted immediately.

Even though the man's physical appearance was anything but imposing, his body thin, his skin like parchment, and his movements almost slow, his presence was unbearable.

A heavy, unseen force seemed to settle over the entire room. It wasn't just spiritual pressure, it was ancient, refined, and terrifyingly powerful. Lucas's breath tightened in his chest, his instincts screamed that even taking one step too close without permission might invoke the wrath of a mountain.

It was suffocating.

His cultivation stirred inside him, reacting instinctively to the pressure, and for the first time in a long time, Lucas felt the sheer weight of standing before someone far beyond what most mortals could comprehend.

This man...this was Sage Raph.